2012 NFL Draft

[Gators312]

^which available player would you have taken?

OLB Shawn Spence, OG Josh LeRibeus, C Ben Jones, C Phillip Blake, or OG Joe Looney,

[blizz01]

Even Anger was surprised.  Sort of makes me chuckle to think that was the third rounder that we didn't use on Timmy.  Maybe Anger deserves a cult following in JAX - Is his jersey out yet? 

[duvaldude08]

^which available player would you have taken?

OLB Shawn Spence, OG Josh LeRibeus, C Ben Jones, C Phillip Blake, or OG Joe Looney,

Nah I wouldnt took a center in the third round. Maybe the fifth. Im not complaing. We got the best WR and a solid DE so far. Im good. The punter did throw me off though

[thelakelander]

ESPN's comments on the punter selection:

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/36528/a-punter-jaguars-reached-in-third-round

[Tacachale]

I'm not terribly worried about it. Great 1st and 2nd round picks and it hardly seems likely this cat will be a dud football player. It's unusual but not worth getting worked up about.

[I-10east]

The Jags got LB Brandon Marshall (no typo, that's actually his name) from Nevada in the 5th round.

[Elwood]

Actually, just to correct the media "experts", there have been three other punters taken in the third round since Todd Suyerbran was taken 56th overall in 1995. Brad Maynard, 95th overall, 1997(Ball State) to Browns; B.J. Sander, 87th overall, 2004(Ohio State) to Packers; Dustin Colquitt, 99th overall, 2005(Tennessee) to Chiefs. So, it does happen. I agree that we could have possibly pursued another "need". But Gene is a BAP guy. And if the man says Anger was the BAP on his board, then you have to trust the pick. Don't have to agree with it, or like it. But we can't preach "in Gene we Trust" and then call the man a liar because we don't like what he does. For those that don't believe a punter is an impact player, how many games did Turk cost us last season?

[I-10east]

^^^What they were saying is that Anger (70th) is the highest drafted punter since Suyerbran. Hopefully we don't have to use Anger very often, because that will obviously be an indictment of our offense. I'm mostly done with totally shaking off this bewilderment of the third round, and I'm gonna still continue to be in the diehard 'IGWT' crowd; Although I must say, any criticizing of that pick by the fans, media, etc. is understandable. Unfortunately, many of the 'typicals' will say the obligatory 'First Tebow, now this'. *sigh*

[Elwood]

Agree 100%. I'd hope that Anger is a seldom used asset and that the offense can turn things around this season. We shall see.

[avonjax]

TO be honest, every fans claims their team is going to the playoffs. Its just the nature of fans. We get excited and want to be best. I dont see the harm in people thinking what they want to think.

I agree

[mtraininjax]

But Gene is a BAP guy. And if the man says Anger was the BAP on his board, then you have to trust the pick.

If he is a Best Available Player guy, why did we end up, again, with more defensive players than offensive? Having the 6th best D last year was a reason to add all these defensive players? We're dead last in offense last year and we grab another top 10 player for offense and then forget about it.

Smith needs to draft the first day and then turn it over to the coaches who have needs to fill, Smith's BAP scenario only works if his defensive picks can also play offense. Something we desperately need after finishing DEAD LAST IN YPG in the NFL for the 2011 season.

A great link to our 3rd round pick:
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/57873/a-punter-jaguars-reached-in-third-round

[civil42806]

I'm assuming Gene Smith expects our punter to be a key player for us next year.  Think about that.  The difference between a mediocre punter and a great one isn't that much.  I particularly love his cutting the two off the current roster, that way he doesnt have to worry about being embarresed if the other punters beat out his 3rd round draft pick in camp.  It was a boneheaded move, sometime the conventional wisdom is right.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

If he is a Best Available Player guy, why did we end up, again, with more defensive players than offensive?

Well golly gee MTrain, if the available player was a defensive player and he was the Best according to our board, I guess we picked them. 

If he had drafted a lower rated offensive player then he would be drafting need.

C'mon man, you're slipping today.  Too many mimosas for brunch?   

[RockStar]

Consider that, last year, teams in the NFL averaged 4.9 punts per game; doesn't that warrant having someone good at it? I'm not saying that we didn't have other needs, but I'm not freaking out about it. Our offense is going to be better, our defense is going to be better and our special teams will be as well. What's everyone crying about? Would he have been there at round 5? Who knows?

[Tacachale]

Consider that, last year, teams in the NFL averaged 4.9 punts per game; doesn't that warrant having someone good at it? I'm not saying that we didn't have other needs, but I'm not freaking out about it. Our offense is going to be better, our defense is going to be better and our special teams will be as well. What's everyone crying about? Would he have been there at round 5? Who knows?

I know, right? This has got to be the most whinging about a 3rd round pick that I've heard in a long time. Especially after two great picks in the higher rounds. Especially as it's a player who's by all accounts good at his position. Ah well, c'est la vie en nation Jaguar.